


Too Little, Too Late

by soapyboba



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Background Akorin, Background Arikasu, Background Ayachisa, Background Hagutsugu, Background Kaomisa, Background Kokohina, F/F, Jealousy, Lisayuki, Non-canon Song, Shirasagi Chisato Is Just Trying, Unhappy Ending, Unrequited, Unrequited Love, Unrequited Sayolisa, comedic relief, remember when i said kokohina was background? well i tried, sayo swears mentally only, teen and up for swearing, yukilisa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 14:35:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18551746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soapyboba/pseuds/soapyboba
Summary: It's hard to see the secret love of your life when she's hand in hand with her girlfriend.





	Too Little, Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> heyheyhey!! this is my first time actually publishing a fanfic, so feel free to throw me some constructive criticism!! 
> 
> ill dump my sappy notes on this emotional ride at the end,,!

_This is stupid,_ Sayo thought to herself. 

Everywhere she saw, there were couples. Holding hands, kissing, sharing food, committing some rather unsightly acts of PDA, being cute. It was even in the GaRuPa group chat. 

God damn it, even Hina has a girlfriend. And what’s Sayo doing? People watching at Hazawa café, venting to Tsugumi. Or, well, trying to.

_Right, just shut up and calm down. You’ll find the one someday. Someday… whatever, just check the group chat. Yes. Be salty._

And so Sayo opened up the GaRuPa groupchat. 

[PastelIdol-nwn] Hello!!!! How are u guys doing? It’s so nice out today~  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] lol ayachan u tryna cover up ur date w chisatochan huh  
[Pastel-Idol-nwn] Hina-chan!!!!  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] yea so thats why u holdin hands w her in the park mhm  
[Pastel-Idol-nwn] H, hina-channnnnn n~n O/////O;;  
[misamisa] can y’all shut the fucketh up 

Sayo couldn’t help but intervene in this conversation, no matter how bitter it was for her.

[Hikawa.S] Okusawa-san, Hazawa-san is with me right now. Please refrain from using such language.  
[misamisa] AH FUCK  
[misamisa] wait sorry i meant frick  
[misamisa] can you make sure tsugumi-san doesn’t see this? i don’t want to be responsible for tainting her or anything hrhhfhdc  
[Hikawa.S] Sure.  
[misamisa] thaNk you and btw do you have any food recommendations i’m hungry for big boy food,

At an attempt to preserve Tsugu the Teddy Bear, Sayo paused to call the brunette over, “Tsugumi-san?” 

“Sayo-san! Do you need anything?” The brunette rushed over, smiling like an angel with a teapot. 

“The group chat is going to… veer off-topic. Try refraining from looking at it, maybe?” 

“Eh? Um, okay! Sorry, Sayo-san, I have to go serve other people now— bye!” Tsugumi hastily rushed away to server another— uck— couple that had arrived.

 _Oh shit, oh fuck, oh no,_ Sayo screamed internally. Why? Oh why? Why must it be me? 

The couple who had arrived consisted of Maruyama Aya and Shirasagi Chisato.  
———  
[misamisa] sayo-senpai you there?  
[misamisa] sayo-senpai?  
[Hikawa.S] Sorry, I’m wallowing in my own self-hate.  
[misamisa] honestly mood WAIT WHAT  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] ONEECHAN ONEECHAN WHATS WRONG  
[Hikawa.S] Dear God help me.  
[Tomoe] sayo-san what’s happening?  
[Hikawa.S] I’m about to die.  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] oneechan wHATS WRONG IM ACTUALLY TREMBLIGB IN MY BOOTS?  
[Hikawa.S]  
[Tomoe] oh my god  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] AACJSJDKSJSJ  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] THEY RLLY AINT PLAYIN AROUND  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN changed two nicknames]  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] oneechan u gotta monitor them  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] tell me if theyre doin big lesbian things like holding hands  
[Hikawa.S] Hina, I refuse to look at them.  
[maya-yamatoes] ack  
[Hikawa.S] Oh no  
[misamisa] sayo-senpai what happened now 

Sayo started hyper-focusing on the cake on her plate and sipping her tea, started looking towards the window, anything to avoid the eye contact with a certain pink-haired girl. Who, incidentally, had begun to wave at the teal-haired girl. And, even worse, Aya had started to check her phone. 

[Hikawa.S] Code red code red code red  
[misamisa] SAYO-SENPAI  
[Hikawa.S] Maruyama-san is checking her phone.  
[misamisa] shit  
[Tomoe] oh no  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] fuck man im going down  
[Tomoe] why?  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] tell em oneechan  
[Hikawa.S] What?  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] YOULL KNOW  
[Hikawa.S] No, I don’t! 

Sayo, earnestly confused, started to scroll furiously throughh the chatlog. What in diddly darn corntiddies was Hina talking about? Then the teenager’s eyes fell upon a certain auspicious command-log. Instantly, she understood, praying for her twin sister’s health and survival. 

[Hikawa.S] Oh no. Hina, you really are going down.  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] see?? oneechan just know i love you and tell kokorun i love her too and tell kaasan and tousan i love them and tell paspal i sort of love them and at my funeral play the space jam x shuwarin dreamin mashup  
[misamisa] would someone clarify what the fuck is happening  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] tell em oneechan :((((  
[Hikawa.s] Right.  
[Hikawa.S] Hina changed two nicknames, as seen in the chatlog. I’m eerily afraid those two nicknames were those of Maruyama-san and Shirasagi-san.  
[Tomoe] yeah hikawa-san you’re about to die  
[GAY ASS AYACHAN FUCKER] Hina-chan, indeed you better run run run run.  
[misamisa] SAYO-SENPAI I THOUGHHT YOU SAID ONLY MARUYAMA-SAN WAS CHECKING HER PHONE  
[Hikawa.S] I’m refusing to make eye contact with them.  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] NO CHISATOCHAN MY USERNAME I MEAN LIKE BOP BOPPIN BOP YEA  
[GAY ASS AYACHAN FUCKER] Better watch out, Hina-chan. :)  
[RUNRUNRUNRUN] oh my god oneechan im going to die  
[i am a power bottom] H…. hina-chan….???  
[misamisa] i acrually might piss myseLf,,,,  
[BushEVEdo] :OOO Hina-san!! It’s okay, I’ll protect you in the spirit of Bushido!!  
[i am a power bottom changed three nicknames]  
[Tomoe] three nicknames? I thought only t  
[Tomoe] oh no  
[Hikawa.S] I’m assuming she reverted Shirasagi-san and her nickname to their original state, however I worry for Hina.  
[MEANIE STINKY FACE >:((] BOUTTA PISS MY PANTS  
[FuwafuwaIdol] Im sorry hina-chan….. did i cross the line? :(  
[MEANIE STINKY FACE >:((] LOL SJJSKSKA DEFINITELY  
[FuwafuwaIdol] Uuuu… im so sorry hina-chan!!!  
[MEANIE STINKY FACE >:((] as u should be  
[MEANIE STINKY FACE >:(( changed their nickname]  
[️️️️️️️m’boppin] better  
[ShiraChisa] No, Hina-chan, you should be sorry. Aya-chan, you had nothing to worry about ^^  
[m’boppin] HRJFJSKGN chisatochan uses ^^ for ayachan awwww  
[kowokoworowo] hello!! 

God damn it. 

Sayo exited the chat promptly. She did not want to be reminded that Hina had found a girlfriend before she had. Whatever happened to “older siblings are superior”? 

The guitarist heard giggling from the lovebird table, but refused to look. However, Sayo was forced to when she heard one of them approach her table. 

_Suck it up. It isn’t their fault that you’re bitter about love.  
Actually, it partially is, but whatever. Don’t let them see through you. _

Sayo looked up to see a smiling Chisato. “Oh, Shirasagi-san. What a pleasure to see you and Maruyama-san here.” 

“You too, Sayo-chan~. It quite explains why you felt compelled to take a picture of Aya-chan and I and send it to the GaRuPa chat.” Chisato chirped in response. 

Fuck. 

“I’m deeply sorry, Shirasagi-san. I meant no harm towards you or Maruyama-san.” 

“Oh, no, it’s okay. Aya-chan and I are open about our relationship. I just wondered, why were you… rather disgusted by us?” 

Sayo felt blood rise to her cheeks, but she couldn’t afford to look so ghastly in front of Chisato. “What? What makes you think that?” God, she hoped she hadn’t said something bitter about the couple. “The two of you are a lovely couple, and I wish the both of you the best.” 

Chisato hummed in response. “Yes, I’m sure you do. But although you think we’re a lovely couple, it doesn’t exactly make you one to gush at couples, right?” 

“A-again, I didn’t say anything against the two of you.”

The petite blonde paused for a moment to pick up her phone. She scrolled through something before showing Sayo some chatlogs. 

_[Hikawa.S] Sorry, I’m wallowing in my own self-hate._  
[Hikawa.S] Dear God help me.  
[Hikawa.S] I’m about to die.  
[Hikawa.S] Hina, I refuse to look at them. 

**_[Hikawa.S] Hina, I refuse to look at_ them.**

How many times could Sayo fuck up in a day? 

Pastel*Palettes’ bassist cleared her throat. “I thought, from these messages, that you were not the fondest of our relationship, or something of the sort. Were you afraid that we would display PDA?” 

“No, Shirasagi-san, it has nothing to do with you and Maruyama-san. Speaking of which, aren’t you sort of deserting her, talking to me?” 

“I told her in advance that I would be talking with you. She’s currently talking with Tsugumi-chan.” 

_Fuck. I can’t ask Shirasagi-san to leave, then. I feel so awkward…_

“But I’m here to ask you, why do you feel so strongly about me and Aya-chan? If not that, then why do you feel so strongly about couples?” 

Sayo gritted her teeth and took a sip of her now-cold tea. “I’m sorry, but I don’t feel the need to share this information with you.” There. Blunt is better, right? 

“Wouldn’t it be lifting, though, to vent out your feelings? I wouldn’t be asking you to tell me if I knew you’d told Tsugumi-chan.” 

Freezing, Sayo contemplated this. She had intended to tell Tsugumi but.. the chance never came. Plus, Chisato wasn’t the worst person to share with. There could be worse (cough cough, someone like Kasumi). Not to mention she had (albeit hesitantly) told Hina about her feelings, but Hina was Hina, who was Sayo’s sister. It didn’t make an impact. And although Hina was empathetic and supportive, she didn’t offer to break up with Kokoro to make Sayo feel better. And she shouldn’t have to. And she knew Hina didn’t bother offering to be Sayo’s wingwoman because Hina knew fully well that— 

Sayo refused to think about it. It made her mind and heart ache with some sort of unpleasant feeling. 

Maybe that’s why Sayo resentfully went offline after Kokoro had gotten online. She was reminded that there was something Hina had that she could not. And she wasn’t ready to face it head-on. 

God, if we’re talking about facing things head-on, maybe she should confer with Tomoe. 

“Look, Shirasagi-san, couples are just reminders of some I’m not a part of, okay? If you expected a deep and juicy backstory, you were mistaken. Good day.” Sayo finally snapped out through a false tone. Please just leave please just leave please just l— 

“Is there not a certain person on your mind? A lot of people have been talking about you—” 

What? About me? They KNOW ABOUT MY FEELINGS FOR— 

“—and Tsugumi-chan, but—” 

Sayo had to bite her lip not to laugh. “A- excuse me, people think I.. am interested in Hazawa-san?” 

Chisato tilted her head to the side. “Well, yes. I don’t know how it started but a girl outside of GaRuPa from Hanasakigawa saw you and Tsugumi-chan at a cooking class, and claimed you were holding hands? Of course, we wouldn’t mention this to Tsugumi-ch—” 

The teal-haired girl felt her blood boil. A random girl thought she had eyes for Tsugumi? Tsugumi Hazawa, who was— 

“I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but I wouldn’t do that to Hazawa-san. Everyone knows well that she and Kitazawa-san are together.” 

“Oh, that’s nice. But are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?” 

“I appreciate your concern, but I’ll have to pass.” 

“Sayo-chan—” 

“ _I’ll have to pass_!” Whoops. That was… louder than intended. On the bright side, only Aya had stared when Sayo raised her voice.

“Then alright. See you around, Sayo-chan. Sorry for disturbing you.” The blonde bowed her head slightly before retreating to Aya. 

Damn right you should be sorry. 

Sayo clenched her fists in some sort of vain anger. Maybe she should’ve told Chisato about her dilemma? Her feelings? Obviously she couldn’t bring herself to burden Tsugumi with her problems, but.. it didn’t feel right to share her feelings with someone she barely talked to. 

The bitter taste of not being able to talk about your emotions with anyone. It left Sayo locked in a box of grief, trapping her. Her voice could not be heard. It never would. Even if the girl she desired had heard her cries, she couldn’t help. No one could. 

The guitarist stood up and waved Tsugumi goodbye before stepping out the door. She allowed herself a few moments of silence. Let nothing but music sound through her head. 

But the streets were filled of things and symbols that reminded Sayo so much about her. 

Sayo shook her head and made it home without tearing herself apart. She locked herself in her room, forcing herself to confront her feelings. Maybe it would help. Just maybe. 

_How do I feel about her? That’s easy. I lo…_

__Do _I love her?_

She took a few moments to mull this over. 

_I think about her every day. Every second I spend with her, I crave for more. I see her in my dreams. When I play guitar, I always imagine her playing along side me, her part matching mine in live shows. In fact, I can envision, hear her part whenever I play. Just when I was walking down the street, I saw little things that reminded me of her. I’ve invited her to my house many times in hopes we will get closer, in hopes that she’ll somehow harbor the same feelings towards me._

_I guess it was too little, too late._

_But I love her still._

Sayo let herself weep, before turning to her awkward-but-soothing therapy: the groupchat. 

[xXEthereal_Demon_GamergirlXx] SO LIKE OUR SONGS GONNA BABAAAAAM AND THEN WHOOOOSH AND THEN BOBOBOM AND DADADADAAAAN  
[ichiGaya] no  
[xXEthereal_Demon_GamergirlXx] dang it i thought for sure i had you guys 

And so Sayo let herself interrupt. 

[Hikawa.S] Udagawa-san. Are you actually sharing confidential details of Roselia’s songs in this public chat?  
[xXEthereal_Demon_GamergirlXx] urk srry sayo-san :(  
[TransientFleetPrinceKaoru] Ako-chan, Sayo-chan. Do you perhaps need dire assistance? For I am here to soothe your worries and troubles.  
[misamisa] yea no  
[SETA_LUVR0428] OMG KAORU-SNEPAIIIIIIII  
[SETA_LUVR0428] frick **SENPAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
[ChocoKaorune] Umm sorry himari-chan but Im Kaoru-senpais no. 1 fan!!  
[SETA_LUVR0428] NO WAY I WAS THE CREATOR OF ALL 4 KAORU-SENPAI FANCLUBS  
[ichiGaya] what the hell is wrong with everyone  
[PoppinKasu changed their nickname]  
[STARikasu] Ehehe Arisaaaaaaaa~  
[ichiGaya] CORRECTION: WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH KASUMI TOYAMA  
[Hikawa.S] That’s cute and gay and couple-y, but would you mind keeping it to DMs? 

Before she could truly think it through, it had sent. 

[STARikasu] But Sayo-senpai!! Get it?? Our ship name Arikasu but it’s STARikasu?? Bcuz I loooveee stars and Arisa??~  
[ichiGaya] goddamn it kasumi  
[bread-fan69] aww sayosannnn  
[bread-fan69] i thought it was cute and it should be displayed in public yknow  
[bread-fan69] are you mad that tsugu wont look at you the way she looks at haguchin  
[Hikawa.S] For the last time, I am not in love with Hazawa-san.  
[bread-fan69] OwO sounds like a tsuntsun~  
[bread-fan69] poor haguchin…. shes going to beat u up for stealin her girl~  
[TaeBuns] sayo-san are you hiding something from me? your HAND-y best friend?  
[TaeBuns] it’s okay to let out your deepest desires. you know, what you want to do to tsugumi  
[bread-fan69] spicy  
[bread-fan69] im calling that sayosan has a kink for her partner to shove french fries up their p 

And Sayo refused to read more, sending with her eyes closed: 

[Hikawa.S] AOBA-SAN. 

Sayo checked the clock on her phone; it was thirty minutes until Roselia’s practice. She sat upright and warily checked her selfie camera to look for tear tracks on her cheeks. Luckily, they were all rubbed off, but the guitarist’s eyes were red and puffy. She supposed she could just say dust got in her eye and irritated it? Yes, that would work. 

Her guitar was just within reach. Perhaps playing will relieve stress. But Sayo could not ignore the inkling of the voice in her head; It only reminds you of her. 

Ignoring her thoughts, Sayo strummed away on the guitar with her headphones plugged in and resting on her head. _Egao hito shizuku, shiawase ga shimi wa tatte.._

Each harmony. each melody, each chord her fingers danced upon, they spoke a different story each. Sadness. Loneliness. An aching, vast space that occupied someone’s heart. And on the contrary, a mind filled to the brim with thoughts of one person.

_Hoho nurashita yoru mo…_

_Subete uketome— shiji…_

With a twisting, bitter grief burning inside her heart, Sayo slammed down her headphones and unplugged them, lying on her bed. Once more, she laid there and convulsed in a vain despair, tears spilling down her cheeks. Only five minutes had passed and Sayo still felt like literal crap. 

I’ll take a walk. A walk. Maybe grab a bite to eat. Then go straight to band practice. 

For some reason, Sayo could not stay true to the rule ‘Keep personal feelings out of the band.’ 

Standing up and wiping her eyes one last time, Sayo picked up her guitar case and stepped outside her door. 

Only to be faced with a concerned Hina. 

Surprisingly, Hina did not drape herself all over Sayo, begging what’s wrong, but instead just stood there with her arms crossed. PasuPare’s guitarist could look rather concerned at times when she wanted to. 

“Onee-chan,” was all Hina said. 

“H.. Hina.” Instantly, Sayo felt sharp rolls of dread spike through her body, like an erratic heartbeat, or claps of thunder. Invisible, imaginary rivulets of sweat flowed down her. She regretted drowning out the noise in their room. “How long were you there?” 

“Long enough,” Hina looked to the side before making eye contact once more and tip-toed to hug Sayo. 

“E-eh—?” 

“Onee-chan onee-chan talk to me.” 

“H, Hina—” 

“I said talk to me, onee-chan!” Hina grabbed Sayo by the hand and practically vaulted her into Sayo’s room. 

“Let’s start from the top, onee-chan. Tell me eeeeeverything~”

And albeit hesitantly, Sayo poured out her feelings. 

About couples, about people, about her own damn emotions, about her. Hina had stayed quiet the whole time, her face painted with a cool understanding. 

Finally, at the end of Sayo’s vent session and a few moments of silence, the older twin bitterly said, “What? What do you think of it?” 

Hina actually took a bit of time to think before laying down a response. “I think you should tell her about how you feel.” 

Sayo felt her heartbeat spike again, and spluttered out, “Okay, that’s ridiculous and borderline stupid, Hina. I can’t do that. She has a girlfriend who kisses her and whom she kisses back. There is no way I’m walking up to her and proclaiming my love or whatever.” 

“Kaoru-kun is pretty good at walking up to people and proclaiming her love. She said she did that to Misaki-chan. You could take lessons from h— wait! Aww, you love her?” 

“Y, you know what? Nevermind—” 

“I’m kidding, Onee-chan— Onee-chan, waaait!” 

Sayo turned around from her wall-facing position on the bed to face Hina, who sat on the floor. “Hina?” 

“Yupyup?” 

“How.. how did you and Tsurumaki-san start dating? All I know is you tumbled home and screamed, ‘Kokoro-chan and I are in looooove! I looove her! I’m her girlfrieeend’—” 

“Hey, my voice doesn’t sound like that~!” 

“But you said you wouldn’t tell me the details just yet, before you winked and started walking away.” 

“Ehehe~ I was just trying to get you pumped up, y’know? But basically Kokorun—” 

Sayo cringed at Hina’s pun-nickname for Kokoro. 

“—and I were on the roof, yeah? And we were watching stars n’ stuff. And Kokorun said, ‘Kaoru said I should say it with something about the Sweetheart’s Club but I said no.’ And I was super confused, right? So I said, ‘Hey, what’d she want you to say?’ And then she hugged me and said, ‘Hina! I really really like you, and you’re suuper ultra boppin’, and like, you’re the only one who understands me and I feel so happy being with you!’ That was suuuuuper boppin’! Rururururuuun, right? But like, I told you that I maybe had a crush on her a few weeks before she said it, right? So I was like, ‘Kokoro-chan! That’s suuper ultra boppin’! I really really like you too!’ And I hugged back, and then I kissed her, and then history~” 

“J.. just like that?” _I earnestly doubt that Tsurumaki-san said those exact words.. and Tsurumaki-san ‘confessed’ first?_

“Yupyup~ so that’s why I kinda figured you should go all boppidy zappidy bop and go, ‘I love you so much, —’” 

“Hina! Don’t say her name!”

“Geez, okaay~” The younger twin let out a content sigh before checking her phone. “Hey hey, isn’t it time for you to go to practice?” 

“Crap!” 

“Ehehe, bye onee-chan~”

_________________ 

 

As soon as she walked into practice, she saw only Rinko, who was tweaking a melody in one of their songs. _It’s our newest one, I presume?_ Storm? _I wonder why she felt the need to change her part.._ Her mind froze for a second. _It’s song where_ she _sings. Her voice is so beautiful.._

“Hikawa-san..?” 

“A—!” 

Rinko visibly shook. “O-oh, I’m sorry…!" 

Sayo relaxed her tense muscles. “Don’t worry, sorry. I was a bit lost in thought.” 

The ebony-haired girl seemed more content after that. “I, it’s nice to see you early…. I was.. afraid I was going to be alone…” 

“No worries, then. I saw you playing something similar yet different to one of your parts. Was it for _Storm_?” 

“Yes.. I, I wanted to go for something a bit… softer… gentler than my intended part..” Rinko explained with a tad more confidence in her voice. “I t-think that… going for a brash piano part… will make the m-music more.. angry than it intends…” 

“But the song is titled _Storm_ , is it not? Storms are generally angry and passive, I assume.” 

“I, yes, but… from our kinder lyrics… I got the assumption that the type of storm w-we’re talking about is… not quite a physical one…”

The teal-haired girl was rather stunned by this proclamation, to say the least. Nonetheless, she let Rinko continue. 

“It’s m-more of… an emotional o-one, I guess..? Talking about bumpy paths a-and a whirlwind of a mind… unsure feelings of what to do… That type of u-uncertainty isn’t one to be bold. If the lyrics w-were more firm, more decisive… maybe a sharper piano counterpart w-would be appropriate… but I think t-the softer piano part would suit the song better..” The pianist’s words were tinged with a sort of longing, a wistful sound. 

“I.. I understand. In fact, I would support that decision after you explained your train of thought.” Sayo thought to herself with some type of disdain, _Why does this song, that I thought was bolder, relate to me?_

Rinko was silent for a few moments before the door swing open to reveal Ako. It was so loud and sudden that Sayo couldn’t help but share Rinko’s burst of surprised panic as the pianist dove behind her keyboard.

“Fufufu~ Bow down, mortals, to your abysmal queen of ravenous power!” The short chuuni proclaimed rather boisterously, her chest puffed out with delight. 

Sayo noted that Rinko’s voice was laced with relief as she slowly rose up from behind the keyboard. “A-Ako-chan!” Rinko sighed. 

“E-eeeEEEEH!?! Holy FU- s-sorry, invisible onee-chan, I, I meant frizzle! Holy FRIZZLE, Rinrin, I didn’t see you theeereee~!! Wowza, your mage power really is enough to conceal your all-powerful form~!!” Ako gushed in a frenzied sort of surprise and excitement. “Oh, and hi, Sayo-san!” 

“Udagawa-san,” Sayo said, trying to keep her heartbeat steady from the early, rapid panic. “Just get your point across.”

“Awawa, sorry, Sayo-san… Oh! Anyway, my demon horns glint brightly in this dark, hexed room that glows with the heat of an estranged melody! And, um, my onyx wand will spark this room with.. uh..” The red-eyed, younger Udagawa hesitated, her face expressing clear helplessness and uncertainty. “Eeeh, Rinrin? Help~!! Okay, so my onyx wand will spark this room…?” 

Clearing her throat, Rinko murmured, “Will… spark this room alight with.. the blaze of a furious flame that hungers for a powerful song?..”

“Yes! That!~” Ako pumped a fist in the air, cheering, “Bam! Whoosh! Rinrin and Ako-chin save the day again! But with evilness!” 

Sayo smiled to herself inwardly; at least Ako was the same. Ako did not fluctuate indifferently, like the guitarist’s emotions. 

However, all of Sayo’s awkward relief had come to a stop with Yukina had come through the door, hand in hand with a certain someone. 

Lisa Imai. 

Lisa had leaned over to peck Yukina’s cheek, who flushed pink before returning the gesture but in the lips. 

Sayo felt her heart twist with a refined jealousy, a burning sadness. Lisa. God _fucking_ damn it, why must the teal-haired girl be cursed to love when the one she loves won’t ever reciprocate it?

The bassist’s voice was a sweet symphony of compassion and playfulness, shining light into Sayo’s life. Her eyes were bright with a soft blaze of kindness, ready to offer a helping hand to anyone in need. Each action she performed was laced with a sort of unrefined, refined gentleness, even when she was trying to be rough. Her fingers were bruised and scars, calluses marring her smooth, perfect skin. It showed every single effort she had put into the band; nail polish completely scraped off, a deeper strength in each finger, and a defter, lighter movement that flew to each bass string when months ago, she had struggled to play a mediocre chord. Lisa’s words were always kind and meant no harm, always telling people the sweetest things, lifting moods and brightening days. And Lisa’s lips, those glossed, rosy lips, that she used to smother Yukina with affection instead of Sayo… 

It hurt the guitarist. It cut open deeper wounds than she would have liked. 

But hey, as long as Lisa was happy, Sayo would be. At least Lisa found contentment. 

Even so, the teal-haired girl would never forget that she once had a chance. She once had a chance to capture Lisa’s heart, she once had a chance to hold Lisa’s soft hand that was smooth yet rough to touch. She once had a chance to fulfill her own happiness and Lisa’s at the same time. Yet there Lisa was, talking excitedly with Yukina, who looked happy, too, and Lisa leaned in again to kiss Yukina, who flushed again. 

Sayo was somewhat happy, because Lisa was so obviously happy. 

But Sayo would never forget; she was too little, too late. 

 

—

Extra! DMs between xXEthereal_Demon_GamergirlXx and pianorin, before Roselia's practice 

[xXEthereal_Demon_GamergirlXx] hey rinrin?  
[pianorin] yes?  
[xXEthereal_Demon_GamergirlXx] umm sayo-san seems kinda grumpy to people who are in <333  
[xXEthereal_Demon_GamergirlXx] maybe we should  
[xXEthereal_Demon_GamergirlXx] i dunno,  
[xXEthereal_Demon_GamergirlXx] announce we're dating another day? that's not today?  
[pianorin] yeah that seems reasonable

**Author's Note:**

> ok god i love yukilisa so much,,,, and at first i was more than indifferent to sayolisa bc they were so stark-opposite and sayo seemed unappreciative/unhappy with lisas advances to FriendshipTM but that all changed when i watched the brave jewel mv (as soon as it came out ofc djskwksk). 
> 
> i saw lisa and sayo, back to back, smiling at each other so happily and at peace with each other, playing their guitar and bass and my heart just went HDJSJSJSK!!!!! id never been so moved by just one action? it was barely a second, too, and my heart was instantly "SAYOLISA" bc it was so beautiful to see their relationship progress like that!! ofc yukilisa is also very very nice 
> 
> the chatfic parts might seem random but i just wanted to throw in some goofy chat-interactions from the girls bc i hc that sayo feeds off of their meme-y chats for relief bc shes thinking "oh well. there are stupider" 
> 
> tried to make kokohina lowkey but i failed to keep my otp on the low sorry,, and hagutsugu is so cute and valid it makes me cry 
> 
> theres a lot more ayahina than ayachisa on ao3, so did this make anyone shooketh? idk hina doesnt really click w aya for me romantically,,, sorry sjwjdjsjs 
> 
> ARIKASU. thatse it
> 
> akorin, kaomisa. must i say more? (big fan of misakanon and kaokanon though,, so misakaokanon) 
> 
> also sort of a fan of ayasayochisa? hdjsjsj i ship ayachisa and sliiiight sayochisa but i wanted sayo to be annoyed w chisato and her fruitless attempts to get sayo to open up, so 
> 
> this was actually originally a much rougher, rawer fic because this was a product of my emotional conflict. so you could say this was my ventfic, my outlet,, was it good for something originally an unpolished blob of confusion and emotions? 
> 
> sorry thIS WAS SO LONG FHDJSJSJS the notes And the story dhdhjsja!!! hope you enjoyed~


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